GENSSIS

Project, Description & Status

The GENSSIS project is now at an advanced stage of design and development of a utility-scale electrical energy storage technology, preparations for the construction of a large scale demonstrator will be finalised by mid-2019. Following construction, the demonstrator will undergo a full validation process in a grid-connected, working environment, over a period of 12 months, prior to full commercialisation.

Background

RENEWABLES

Renewable Energy Technology has the potential to deliver 100% of our energy needs, to radically change how the world’s population converts and consumes energy, halting the detrimental effects that carbon emissions are currently having on the environment.

The most commercially advanced Renewable Energy Technologies are those of Wind and Solar, both of which are sustainable but highly variable in nature and consequently, there are still some technological shortfalls which currently prevent the realisation of this goal. When Grid thresholds for non-synchronous electricity generation are increased, the stability of RoCoF is undermined by the consequential erosion of inertial response.

EnergySRS was formed in 2013 to explore low carbon solutions to this problem of diminished inertia and the resulting displacement of, otherwise viable, renewable energy generation. This system is designed to support power stability, particularly in relation to the increased grid integration of sustainable energy production from intermittent renewable sources.

There has never been a more appropriate time to search for viable technologies which can provide cost-effective, reliable, solutions to the critically important problem of reducing carbon emissions. These technologies are becoming ever more highly regarded and much sought after in these times. The gravitational potential energy of itself is an established concept where E=Mgh, the main technical challenges are associated with the construction of a utility-scale

ENERGY SRS

Current power grid balancing systems have the effect of limiting or displacing otherwise viable, sustainable, energy compromising the cost reduction and security of transitional, low carbon, power integration. Energy SRS was established in 2013 to explore low carbon initiatives that help to support system inertia and secure the increased integration of electrical power from sources such as Wind and Solar Farms.

Since 2013, Energy SRS has been investigating Gravitational Potential Energy Storage as a zero-emission balancing services provider. In tandem with this activity, Energy SRS has drawn together the technical knowledge and supply chain expertise that would facilitate the commercialisation of this solution.

In 2015, Energy SRS initiated a collaboration of Five UK companies and the University of Bristol, this team is now well established, and currently collaborating in Phase 2 of what is a now multi-skilled industrial and academic project. Phase 2 is now live, since 1st July 18, and will run until March of 19, with a total project cost of £1,087,557, it is receiving IUK grant support totalling £727,023. Phase2 objectives are to build on Phase 1 learnings, developing the advanced design, construction and commercial details, to be fully prepared at Phase 3, for the execution, installation and industrial validation, of a large-scale prototype in a grid-connected, working environment. Energy SRS is the project initiator, lead company and project manager.
Phase 3 will take place in 2020.

GENSSIS

Electrical energy is currently the cleanest most versatile form of power that we have; the conversion of wind and solar energy into industrial quantities of electrical power has a real potential to reduce the destructive levels of CO2 that are being discharged into our atmosphere. Ultimately, to facilitate a meaningful integration of sustainable, non-synchronous, power sources into our distribution networks, innovative infrastructure systems that support and maintain grid stability are required.

The design concept sets out a system that could enhance the stability of electrical energy production from several sources essentially however its focus would be the management of electrical energy generated from renewable sources such as wind/solar.

Commercially the system could have global relevance and be capable of providing utility-scale energy management via an arrangement of modular installations. At the core of the concept is an electro-mechanical installation which would be surface-mounted at the head of a deep vertical shaft or borehole. Attached to this electro-mechanical system, by means of synthetic rope technology, would be a sizeable mass suspended vertically into the borehole.

The Energy SRS “GENSSIS” Project, therefore, is a concept that is intended for use as a renewable energy management system, and as such, it offers an alternative to battery storage systems. The fundamental basis of the concept is that this Gravitational Energy Storage Technology can be configured to provide new system services which support the provision of adequate system inertia and fast frequency response in terms of a “Pre-Primary Operating Reserve Timeframe”.
Electrical energy from any source can be converted into gravitational potential energy when power is diverted to an electrically powered winch system enabling the suspended mass to be raised within the borehole. The restoration cycle of the electrical energy would be achieved when the raised mass is subsequently allowed to perform a controlled descent under gravity, a procedure which would mechanically activate an electrical generator installed at the traction winch gearing.

System Advantages

Power Grid

Benefits to Sustainable Energy Producers: industry development and production will benefit from increased demand as grid systems are enabled to address volatility at extremes of high intermittent power absorption.

Diversity: A more robust, sustainable, enduring alternative to batteries

Technical Approach

The technical approach is used to develop the concept is one that deals specifically with the aspects of physical scaling that dynamically affect the potential that the system has to deliver a worthwhile capacity of MWh’s an output of MWh’s.

The effects that physical scale has on this system can be demonstrated when considering E=mgh scenario, which is the mathematical basis for the calculation for Gravitational Potential energy. In simple terms the bigger the mass and the greater the height the greater the amount of energy that can be stored.

Unique Selling Points

• It’s not adversely affected by deep discharge/overcharge.
• It won’t irreversibly decay with age or cycling.
• It won’t self-discharge & is not a fire hazard.
• Main system components are not listed as having a critical supply status.
• It will produce zero emission during its operation.
• High sustainability, 50-year plus design.
• Uses many proven components & technologies.
• A utility-scale modular potential to align with current grid infrastructures & projected industry demand.
• The subterranean installation provides a very low visual impact/small footprint.
• Installation can be co-located with sources of demand and grid infrastructure.

Batteries

Competing Solutions, having a commercial capability to compete on the AS market would be battery installations, e.g. li-on and NaS, and Flow Batteries.

These have improved in recent times, and while costs have seen reductions there are still negative aspects to batteries:

Further Competing Technologies

• Pumped Hydro, large scale multi £bn projects, geographically limited, 10yrs + lead into completion.
• Compressed Air, CAES, Similar to above in terms of cost and opportunity, also uses gas during the regeneration process.
• Batteries, of various types, Na S and Li-ion would be the closest viable competitors to the GENSSIS technology,
• Diesel and Gas fuelled reciprocating engines, producing Co2
• Flywheel technology must be actively spinning, hybrid Flywheel/Battery demos, currently unproven.
• The advantages that GENSSIS has over these competitors;
• Pumped Hydro: location constraints, GENSSIS can be co-located with existing infrastructure. GENSSIS has a micro capex in comparison and short construction time.
• CAES. Same as above, also GENSSIS creates zero emissions.

Need or Challenge

In general, system needs are increasing, most notably at the extremes, and volatility at the extremes is also increasing.

National Grid assess the market to achieve flexibility, by procuring more predictable or ‘firm’ needs well ahead of time, while firm needs will remain relatively stable the volatility at the extremes must be assessed in real time. Consequently, this is increasingly costly for them to deal with.

This creates the opportunity of new routes to market for providers to offer flexibility across the range of National Grids requirements.

National Grid have predicted very high levels of uncertainty from 2020 onwards.

Summary

A summary of the five key future system needs, as written in the order they are required from real time.

Sustainability

Enabling a faster transition to sustainable energy storage

The GENSSIS project aims to respond to the energy network challenges of volatility, imbalance and uncertainty by developing a system which would support and enhance the existing grid infrastructure without producing CO2 emissions. This system will incorporate the principles of Gravitational Potential Energy Storage into a modular design which can be scaled up and co-located with existing infrastructure to provide services to power grid system needs.

Existing bulk storage works well today, e.g. Pumped Hydro, however, further expansion is limited by geographical constraints, requiring major developments of national consequence. Modular system services which can be strategically co-located with existing infrastructure and are capable of utility scaling most notably would be batteries. While the cost of battery storage has been significantly reduced in very recent years, there has not been a significant parallel technological advancement. Batteries still have relatively short life spans, require careful management, and rely on raw materials listed as “critical supply” with little or no ability to be recycled. The GENSSIS design would represent a significantly more robust, sustainable, alternative to batteries, having a vastly superior 50year plus life span and distinct potential for scalability.

This innovation will focus on both existing and emerging system needs, especially in the areas where the value of inertia can be demonstrated in a new frequency response product, such as the GENSSIS system would represent. EU Staff working paper: “Energy storage will play a key role in enabling the EU to develop a low carbon electricity system.”

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Concept Drawings

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About

Our Background

Since 2013, Energy SRS has been investigating Gravitational Potential Energy Storage as a zero-emission balancing services provider. In tandem with this activity, Energy SRS has drawn together the technical knowledge and supply chain expertise that would facilitate the commercialisation of this solution.
This has led to the establishment, in 2015, of a team of five UK companies and the University of Bristol to work closely in what is now a multi-disciplined industrial and academic partnership.
The project has the acronym GENSSIS, (Gravitational Energy Storage & Synchronous Inertial Stability). Energy SRS is the lead partner and manager to the project which received the support of Innovate UK for a “Phase 1” which ran from January 2017 until March 2018.